PRETORIA – A large group of foreign nationals were arrested for residing on and operating a factory in Tongaat, north of Durban. 

On Thursday, 16 April 2020 a complaint about this aforementioned operation on Walter Reid Rd, Tongaat was received and attended to. However, the members that attended found the premises was locked and quiet.

On Friday, 17 April 2020 the Station Commander received further information that the factory was going to be operational in the weekend and that people are residing on the premises.

A team was gathered yesterday and at 12:00 midday they team proceeded to the factory. On initial observation the factory looked closed from the outside but machine noises were heard coming from the inside of the premises.

No activity could be seen around the premises. At that moment two foreigners opened the roller door of the factory. They were questioned about their presence there and they said that they were merely fetching welding machines. On informing them that they were to be charged for contravening the Disaster Management Regulations for not being confined to their residences in terms of the Disaster Management Act, they attempted to flee and were arrested.

The members entered the premises via the same roller door and found over 90 sealed beer bottles, over 90 beer cans as well as over 100 cartons of cigarettes on the premises.

Three other foreign nationals were found on the premises. They said they could not account for the alcohol and cigarettes stating it could belong their employer. They further confirmed that all the other employees who were also foreigners had gone back to their homeland and one SA employee had gone to Johannesburg. They denied that there were any other persons on the premises. Whilst inspecting the premises the team discovered several dormitories with undone beds and cellphone chargers still plugged in the wall sockets. When asked again but the three denied anyone else being on the premises. A large kitchen and dining area was also found to be fully stocked with food which seemed too much for only three persons raising further suspicion.

On conducting an inspection of the premises an internal door was found to be opened with a fire escape staircase leading to the ceiling. Eight foreign nationals were found hiding inside the ceiling and on further inspection of the premises three more foreign nationals were found within the premises. All were placed under arrest in contravention of the Disaster Management Act, Immigration Act as well as the first three suspects were also charged for Defeating the ends of Justice. The hard drive with camera footage was also seized to check for evidence that the factory was in fact operational during the lockdown and the alcohol and cigarettes were also seized. All suspects are currently detained. The Department of Home Affairs Immigration Sevices were summoned to verify if the suspects are legally in the country as only 9 passports were found and their work permits looked questionable. The suspects were also taken to the Local Tongaat Clinic for Covid-19 screening.

In two separate incidents in other parts of KwaZulu-Natal people have arrested for dealing in liquor and large amounts of liquor have been confiscated despite strict warnings against this.

In Port Shepstone on Friday 17 April members of the K9 unit arrested two people, a buyer and seller and seized liquor worth millions of rands.

Yesterday SAPS units and the Metro police tactical unit disrupted liquor sales at a bottle store in Bartlet Road, Sarnia, Pinetown.

A variety of liquor and cigarettes to the value of R250 000 were seized and a suspect arrested.

This same suspect was previously released on bail for the same offence. Source: South African Police Service